No irregularity in power equipment purchase deal, says state panel

The state-appointed inquiry panel that probed into graft charges against two power generation company officials has found no irregularities in the purchase of costly equipment for a thermal plant.

The state-appointed inquiry panel that probed into graft charges against two power generation company officials has found no irregularities in the purchase of costly equipment for a thermal plant.

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But another panel has now been appointed to check whether the equipment was of the highest quality and whether the experts who recommended the purchase were at any fault.

Mahagenco managing director Subrat Ratho said Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) finance director G.J. Girase, who was probing the deal, found no irregularities in the purchase of valves.

“But Girase raised some doubts about why a particular type of valves was purchased though he said that the deal was finalised after consulting technical experts of the company.”

Former Mahagenco director, Anil Palamwar, has now been asked to probe into the technical recommendations that prompted the officials to finalise the Rs 7-crore purchase order.

Palamwar will submit his report by end of this month.

Mario Covino, a senior executive of California-based Control Components Inc, alleged in January that he paid hefty bribes to secure a contract to supply high-pressure valves for the Khaparkheda thermal power project near Nagpur between 2001 and 2002.

The contract was later terminated for unknown reasons.

Senior officials of the MSEB, A.S. Pophale and A.M. Ambhore, were accused of receiving bribes from Covino. They retired from service long ago.

Ajoy Mehta, then managing director of Mahagenco — the state power generation company formed after the splitting of the MSEB — had appointed Girase to probe the charges nine months ago.